☾ – sleep headcanon

The beds of Cuiviénen and the Journey were layers of woven straw mats cushioned by felt, then more felt and blankets of wool and fur, and small hard pillows, if not just a blanket folded as headrest. As Imin and Iminyë before, Ingwë sleeps on a wide sleeping mat made for two, and it is when halfway through the Journey when Ravennë joins him to sleep in the central mat that the tribe officially recognizes king and queen (they were getting worried). Ingwë sleeps on his side, eyes open like the Minyar do – a habit from the Unbegotten, who fear sleep as the return to the unknown state that they came from, as they do not know how or why they first awoke and if they might someday stop. (All of this is my Imin and Iminyë one-shot I’ll post in-full eventually). Ravennë kicks in her sleep; Ingwë’s successful marriage depends in-part on never bringing this up with her 😉 They don’t always share a bed, as Ingwë is often up in Ilmarin on meditative retreats while his wife stays in Valmar for ruling. She does murmur and not-quite-snore, but very audibly breathe when she sleeps, maybe because Ingwë is so still and silent as he does. But he finds it a very comforting and relaxing thing, the sounds of his wife sleeping next to him, and sometimes he pretends to sleep, waiting and just listening to her, the ache of loneliness soothed away. The cats sleep on the bed when Ravennë is away, so their purring drives away the quiet – though yes, Ingwë has awoken in a panic because one of the cats has fallen asleep on his face, and yes, the times they have forgotten to kick the cats out and lock the door before sex are pathetically higher than that number should be (someone keeps forgetting).

■ –  Bedroom/house/living quarters headcanon

In Cuiviénen there was a hut without finished walls, a slanting thatch roof and a couple woven floor mats, some pots from Finwë, and a large pile of furs and hide blankets, and a beautiful wooden box from Elwë in which Ingwë stored his family treasures and hunting tools. This was on the outer ring of the village, farthest from the great central bonfires. (Status counted how far your house was from the light)

Once Ingwë becomes chief, and when he builds his new home in Aman, his rooms are infused with bright light. He likes wooden furniture with simple lines but bright colors.

Everything is covered in cat hair. He tells the servants not to bother trying to remove all if it.

On the Great Journey they had a tent and sleeping mats. When in Valinor the Noldor help to design the tall tower Mindolin, but Ingwë leaves it soon after. He stays in a monastery for mediation penance for murder high in the mountains close to Ilmarin, which over time becomes as elaborate as the palace in Valmar. Still, the lines are clean and work around nature, the furnishings simple, sparse, and mostly of pale light woods (lot of balsa) – though again designwise so many throw rugs and cushions and pillows and furs. What Ingwë has the most of are books and scrolls – he writes and loves to read poetry. The servants are better at cleaning away the ink (though again, cats~) than the pet hair.

Stylistically more Art Deco than Art Nouveau – Ingwë is going to love imported dwarven designs.

☮ – friendship headcanon

His first friend was Asmalô, the Minyar born right before him. The two were ‘milk brothers’ – their mothers shared nursing duties. Growing up Ingwë wanted to be a hunter alongside his friend, do everything together, but after the accident, Asmalô and his mom treated Ingwë’s family as outcasts the same as the rest of the tribe, so Ingwë cut him off. Asmalô (named for the yellow hammer bird) kept an eye on his former friend out of guilt, so vaguely knew what Ingwë was up to, and was the one to cover for him (without prompting) when Ingwë sneaked away from the village to help Elwë hunt the Dark Hunters. When Ingwë comes back with Oromë, Asmalô is ecstatic and basically pimping his friend to be restored with all the great honors back into the tribe. He’s going to be Ingwë’s #2 among the warrior/young hunter cadres of the Minyar, and the one that watches Imin’s son for signs of rebellion/disobedience. Again a lot of this is coming out of Asmalô’s personal initiative trying to make up for guilt.

♦ – quirks/hobbies headcanon

So much poetry. So much explicit poetry about how great married life with his wife is. Philosophical musings. Finely crafted words to describe the sounds and colors of the mountains. He loves Rúmil for inventing writing so he can record his thoughts and words. Poetry about his cats, poetry written in the shape of cats. So much dirty poetry one doesn’t realize is really sexual unless one knows their metaphors. Ingwë’s kids try to explain it away by admitting that especially for the chieftains during the march, such things weren’t private but had an audience so it’s not that their parents are exhibitionists. But life is so less embarrassing and quiet when their parents are up in the monastery. And isn’t four kids enough? No?

Ironically he’s pretty private otherwise, at least to talk. But in his poetry all his opinions and thoughts come out. Lot of sappy stuff about colors and mountain sunrises. And how cute the noises his wife makes as she falls asleep.

Ingwë also breeds cats. Loud white with dark tip cats with mostly blue or green eyes.

▼ – childhood headcanon

Ingwë is the equivalent of about eleven when his parents are badly injured on the hunt and can no longer successfully or easily provide. From that point onward Ingwë is the one to support his family. He was solemn as a child; after this he becomes frightfully stoic. It is only after some time with Elwë and Finwë the other boys make him laugh for the first in a long time. The first few times he tries to hunt for food he fails until he learns about staying downwind from prey.

☼ – appearance headcanon

Ingwë is not as tall as Elwë (nobody is) or Turgon, but he’s definitely tall for an elf, Maedhros or taller. Indis is also very tall- that’s where Nolofinwë, Turgon, and Argon get their height. (Of Arafinwë’s kids, I see Aegnor as ironically the tallest, though where that’s the royal Sindar coming through or not, I’m not sure. Finwë btw is the short fat one of his friends.)  Very muscular, smooth not-quite-longish face with high but not sharp cheekbones, full lips. Golden skin, lighter gold hair with a dense curl texture. Very blue eyes. Wears his hair short, even when the style is to have it long. Every once and a while is convinced to grow it out, but doesn’t stay. Feathered crown, white clothes, likes hose/fine-cut tights instead of the long robe look.

ൠ – random headcanon

One of Ingwë’s favorite things is to give advice, but he never does unless someone prompts him to. He’s really independent and doesn’t go to others to work through options or advice; it’s not his natural first inclination, part and parcel of growing up as as the isolated independent breadwinner. So his family and advisers learn they have to actively go to Ingwë and ask him what his opinion is/ for advice, which then it’s like a switch flipping and Ingwë pours out with ideas and suggestions (and also lays out his plans and what he’d pick).